Ask John: What About Anime Rumors?

Question:
Why is it that FUNimation, Pioneer and other anime distributors are always confirming that an old anime is not coming out with a new version or next season? Are there just a lot of rumors floating out there or is it more? Like how I keep hearing that Outlaw Star has a sequel. I guess the real question is, where do these rumors start? And do they have some basis?

Answer:
Companies like FUNimation and Pioneer constantly have to confirm that there are no sequels to particular anime in the works because there really are that many rumors in the fan community. Especially since English speaking fans are so devoted to particular series but don’t always understand Japanese language, often times North American fans will cling to any semblance of hope for more of a favorite series, such as misinterpreted Japanese fan art or early but unfounded rumors. In other cases, since anime is still a relatively underground cult phenomena in America, it’s not uncommon for particular fans to want to use anime as a prop for their own social positioning. Sometimes certain fans convince themselves that it’s more trendy and cool to be “in the know” or “more hardcore” than everyone else. The easiest way of achieving this sort of status is by knowing something that no one else knows. So in the absence of actually knowing facts that no one else knows, some fans occasionally create their own “facts” or wildly speculate on slim foundations. The result of this sort of rumor mongering is contemporary legends that seem to never die. For example, just a few of the major, and all totally false, anime rumors include:

• A fourth season of Dragonball animation titled “Dragonball AF” (a rumor started by a misinterpreted piece of Japanese fan art)
• A second season of Outlaw Star animation (a rumor started by archival art, published on the Morningstar Studios homepage, for a canceled Outlaw Star 2)
• There are more than 2 episodes of Dragon Half anime.
• The Dragon Half anime was cut short at 2 episodes because the creator died.
• The Dragon Half anime was canceled after 2 episodes because the creative staff was arrested for drug abuse offenses.
• Akira Toriyama is dead.
• Masamune Shirow is dead.
• New Evangelion animation titled “Reprise of Evangelion” (a rumor started by a convincing but nevertheless fan art poster)
• A live action Cowboy Bebop movie (again, a rumor begun by a piece of fan art)
• A new season of Sailormoon animation called “Sailormoon X” (a rumor begun by reports that Naoko Takeuchi was considering developing a new Sailormoon series, and misinterpretations of Toei’s plans for the Sailormoon 10th anniversary)